Hospitality Ulster calls for industry to treat Government guidance as instructions to help control irresponsible behaviours in an effort to limit the spread of Covid19

Hospitality Ulster has called on the hospitality industry to treat all government guidance as instructions to help stop the spread of Covid19. It is also asking businesses to stop selling alcohol after 11pm and suspend live music as these are identified as high-risk areas.

As the Republic of Ireland brings in new restrictions around the likes of sporting events and social gatherings, Hospitality Ulster has said that we need to be on the front foot here and that the sector has a big part to play – but enforcement powers must be brought in to tackle rogue premises.

Although parts of the hospitality sector have opened safely from the start of July, traditional non-food serving pubs are still closed, with an indicative reopening date of 1st September. The organisation has said that any irresponsible behaviour could drive a further increase in the virus and result in the entire sector being closed again.

Hundreds of traditional non-food pubs have still to reopen and if we do not get control of the virus their September reopening date is unlikely, increasing the significant financial risk with thousands of job losses forthcoming if the NI Executive doesn’t step in and provide support to halt a disaster. Likewise, our music and events venues remain closed and urgently need financial support.

Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster said today:

“This is a black and white issue for the hospitality sector. As an industry we must do all we can to reduce the spread of the virus and limit irresponsible behaviour. We are therefore calling on our industry to take all government guidance as instructions. We would also go further and ask licensed premises to stop serving alcohol at 11pm and stop all live music / DJs to help control the spread of this virus.”

“These additional measures will hurt what are responsible businesses, but it is our understanding that these are the high-risk areas and acting now may save lives and also avoid a total closure of the hospitality sector.“

“The vast majority of our industry have and continue to act responsibly, but we need urgent action by the NI Executive to reinforce our calls, with legal measures, as rogue businesses will just ignore these calls and undermine the actions of the responsible majority.”

“The NI Executive must suspend all late liquor licences; suspend provision of music under entertainment licences; and introduce the power of closure for premises that blatantly ignore government guidance.”

“Our industry now needs to double-down in relation to adherence to the guidance. This turbulent period is a long way from being over and we have to remain steadfast in doing all we can to curtail the spread.” 

“We certainly do not want to see the scenes that we did in the media from Dublin at the weekend. Whilst there are isolated incidents like this, they serve as hard reminders that we must take our responsibilities seriously.” 

“If we want to limit the spread of the virus and get businesses back up and running again, we must put all and every line of the guidance into practice. If anyone decides to ignore the guidance and take risks beyond what is allowed and responsible, they should feel the full force of the law and be shut down, period.”

‘Take the vocational route’ - students urged to apply for a place in their local FE College this year

Ken Webb, Principal and Chief Executive of South Eastern Regional College

The Principals of the six Further Education Colleges in Northern Ireland are urging young people to consider applying for degree level courses and higher level apprenticeships at their local college this year.

Colleges in Northern Ireland account for one in five of all available higher education places in a range of subjects like IT, Engineering, Manufacturing, Software Engineering and Health and Social Care.

Students can apply directly through college websites and campuses and will not be required to go through lengthy and uncertain clearing processes as they currently are with university places.

With more young people likely to make the decision to remain at home to pursue their further and higher education, colleges have a vast range of courses and places available for young people who want to continue their studies at home.

Speaking on behalf of the six Further Education Colleges, Ken Webb, Principal and Chief Executive of South Eastern Regional College said:

“This has been a very uncertain time for students and parents but the staff in our FE Colleges are now on hand to provide the support and guidance as students consider their next steps. We would encourage all potential students to contact their local college now for information on the range of courses available to them. Rather than have to go through the protracted and stressful clearing process, students can apply directly through their local colleges today.

“Our colleges offer a wide range of courses and over the past number of months we have all seen how the jobs which have kept our economy afloat from healthcare to engineering, manufacturing and IT – all of these courses are direct routes to successful careers and highly promising next steps for students considering their future careers. These jobs will be critical to our economy and our Colleges offer rewarding opportunities and make ambitions a reality for all learners irrespective of their background.

“Last week, it was announced that significant funding would be provided to promote the important role of apprenticeships. This was greatly welcomed as these will be crucial to the economic recovery. Across the 30 campuses, a wide range of apprenticeships are offered which develop the skills required by employers for the future world of work.

“Our colleges play a valuable role throughout Northern Ireland and we look forward to welcoming a new cohort of learners who will achieve their potential and improve their career and life prospects.”

NILGA delivers planning training programme for councillors

Cllr Frances Burton, Chair, NILGA’s Elected Member Development Network

NILGA, in partnership with the Local Government Training Group, delivered a virtual planning training programme for all elected members.

The 2020 Condensed Planning Programme for Councillors is part of an ongoing training programme for elected members on the planning system in Northern Ireland.  Today’s event focused on improving understanding and confidence in planning decisions, on improving understanding of the planning system, and how council planning powers can benefit local areas and communities in the most impactful way.

The session was virtually attended by elected members from all 11 councils in Northern Ireland along with a range of other key planning stakeholder delegates. 

Cllr Frances Burton (Mid Ulster District Council) Chair, NILGA’s Elected Member Development Network, said:

“Today’s planning training event was an excellent opportunity for elected members to enhance their understanding of the local planning system and provide support to them in making the best possible decisions for their communities and constituents.

“As evidenced today, planning need not be a controversial issue for our elected representatives. Effective planning and place-shaping now and in the future has the power to create jobs, homes, beautiful civic amenities, and spaces for everyone in our local areas, which can build happier and healthier communities.

“NILGA and the Local Government Training Group collaborated today to deliver this worthwhile training opportunity for members.  Covid-19 will likely have an impact on how we design our cities, towns, and villages going forward so today’s training session was a timely reminder of the key role that councillors play in the plan making and place shaping of our local communities.”

The future of the office here – the same old routine or the beginning of innovative ways of working? By Gareth Planck, Partner, Real Estate at Eversheds Sutherland

Gareth Planck, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland

The global pandemic has reshaped how we go about much of our lives. It has of course, also reshaped how many of us work on a day-to-day basis. Kitchen tables and spare bedrooms have become make-shift offices where endless meetings are conducted over Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Despite the challenges, the adoption of technology to meet business needs, has been seamless.

For some, the concept of remote working is attractive, but it does not work for everyone. Despite this, questions are increasingly being asked about the future of the workplace and the possible death of the traditional office.

The relationship with offices will be different right across Northern Ireland, however, the idea that offices, which have endured the test of time will all of a sudden ‘die out’ seems wide off the mark. In fact, over the past number month, we have closed on two significant Belfast City Centre office deals which gives good reason to be optimistic about the market.

Rather it seems, the birth of blended offices which combines the virtual and physical workplaces into a single network made up of a fluid mix of people, working between the two may be the direction of travel. Indeed, recent surveys have shown a demand for a new hybrid way of working.

For younger professionals especially, the return of the social benefits associated with office life which are hampered by remote working will be welcome. From our own business perspective, we have recently acquired our own new space in the heart of Belfast City Centre and genuinely believe that the modern office is central to team spirit and ultimately the success of our business. I suspect that this will be a view that is shared by many others.

There are other benefits too. The reality is that office life allows us to work collaboratively and creatively together to get things done efficiently, brainstorm ideas around a table, and most importantly learn from colleagues around us. A well designed and modern office space will remain an efficient machine for getting things done. This would explain why deals in Northern Ireland are still progressing despite lockdown.

That being said, the pandemic has shone a bright spotlight on the possible and the endless opportunities that technology offers. The relative success of remote working over the past number of months can be capitalised on in a way that works for both employers and employees. The associated benefits of potentially higher productivity rates, less time spent commuting to and from work, and of course, a reduced financial spend on office overheads makes a shift to the blended method, very attractive.

The serviced office sector has an important role to play here. Astute landlords will change their products to meet the evolving demand and we are certainly seeing that in Northern Ireland. Scottish Provident Building is a wonderful example of creative innovation in this sector where a tenant can secure a “global deal” on space, rent and services with the flexibility to change in line with changes to a tenant’s business. The provision of flexible, good quality serviced office space has an obvious place in a more cost-aware, blended, and dispersed office world.

Eversheds Sutherland Partners, Lisa Bryson, Gareth Planck and Matthew Howse pictured in their new office in Belfast City Centre

However, a shift in this direction will be by evolution and not revolution. Currently, the focus for most businesses is simply on survival and the future of day-to-day working will be low on the agenda. That being said, the building blocks are now in place and the potential for a reimagined working environment is certainly possible, if not expected.

In the coming years, it be interesting to observe the growth in the blended office model across the various sectors.

What started out as the normal working environment may soon become a distant memory for many.

Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 17 August 2020

Forward Look

• Health Minister Robin Swann MLA has announced that from 4am on Saturday 15 August travellers from France, Monaco, Netherlands, Turks and Caicos, Aruba and Malta into NI, will be required to quarantine for 14 days.

• Education Minister Peter Weir MLA and CCEA Chief Executive Justin Edwards will brief the Education Committee at Stormont later this morning. This follows reports that one third of A-Level results were lower than what were predicted by teachers. 

• Schools in NI have received revised guidance for reopening which includes relaxed social distancing rules and optional face coverings in classrooms.

• The NI Assembly has opened the public consultation on Pam Cameron MLA’s Private Members Bill on Autism which intends to amend the 2011 Act.

• Finance Minister Conor Murphy MLA has allocated an additional £123 million from COVID-19 funding to support areas including apprenticeships, education and social enterprises.

• Economy Minister Diane Dodds MLA has announced a new law to ensure that furloughed employees who are made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay based on their normal wages, rather than a reduced furlough rate.

• Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson is drafting proposals to introduce a dedicated Police Ombudsman Act and will present it to the Justice Minister next month.

• The UK Government has launched a consultation on transparency in digital campaigning. It is proposed that political parties and campaigners will have to explicitly show who they are when promoting campaign content online.

• The first meetings of the Centenary Forum and Centenary Historical Advisory Panel announced by PM Johnson are expected later this month. Further details will be available in the Autumn.

• The Department of Education has launched a public appointments competition to appoint a Chairperson to the Board of the Education Authority. The closing date for applications is Thursday 10 September.

• The UK Government is advertising for a new ‘Head of Pandemic Preparedness’ to help ‘learn the lessons’ of Covid-19.

• The NI Housing Executive are recruiting for a new Chief Executive. Further information here.

• Belfast City Council planners are to recommend that the proposal for a £12 million aquarium in Belfast get the go ahead.

• Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols has been appointed Shadow NI Parliamentary Private Secretary.

• Well-known Derry freelance Journalist Leona O’Neill is to become a lecturer in Journalism at Ulster University from September.

• Victoria Stokes has been appointed Senior Editorial Executive within the Penton Group. She will be looking after content for Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer, Neighbourhood Retailer and Licensed Catering News.

• First Minister Arlene Foster MLA and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA have appointed His Honour Judge Geoffrey Miller QC to the NI Judicial Appointments Commission.

• The All-Party Group on Climate Action will meet virtually on Wednesday 19 August.

• The Education Committee will meet in Stormont on Thursday 20 August.

• The Centre for Cross Border Studies Annual Conference will take place online on the 25th September. Keynote speakers include Julian Smith MP and Professor Deirdre Heenan.

Other Stories this week

• Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín announced a further £10.8 million of funding for the voluntary and community sector to assist recovery from Covid-19.

• The Office for National Statistics said the UK economy contracted by a record 20.4% in the second quarter. Ulster Bank economist Richard Ramsey has warned that NI will be living with the effects of the recession long after economic output starts to rise again.

• A survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Ulster Bank shows NI’s housing market has bounced back after lockdown with a rebound in interest and activity.

• Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA, has announced the appointment of five Non-Executive Members to the Health and Social Care Board. Dr Theresa Donaldson, Mrs Catherine McCallum OBE, Mr Norman McKinley, Dr Nazia Latif and Dr Thomas Moore will continue in this role until no later than 31 March 2022.

• The Department of Health has published a workforce review on Speech and Language Therapy. It aims to address workforce needs in this profession. 

Consultations

• Autism Private Members Bill NI Assembly. Deadline TBC.

• Trade Union Freedom Bill NI Assembly. Deadline TBC.

• Proposals to further amend the law relating to the retention of DNA and fingerprints in Northern Ireland Department of Justice. Deadline 28 August.

• Amending Human Trafficking legislation. Department of Justice. Deadline 1 September.

• Call for Evidence – Pension Schemes Bill Committee for Communities. Deadline 9 September.

• Further Education Support and Charging Policy at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) DAERA. Deadline 11 September.

• Development of an Adult Restorative Justice Strategy for Northern Ireland Department of Justice. Deadline 11 September. 

• Draft Organised Crime Strategy 2020-2023 Department of Justice. Deadline 2 October.

• Second Independent Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment Process in NI Department for Communities. Deadline 16 October.

• Online Political Transparency The Cabinet Office. Deadline 4 November.

NILGA Executive discusses sustainability of councils and hears about financial and emotional impact of Covid-19

Cllr Matt Garrett, NILGA President

The sustainability of local councils was in sharp focus at today’s (14 August) NILGA all council Executive meeting. At the meeting, members also heard from the Money and Pensions Service as councillors explored how to support constituents who have been affected by the coronavirus.

Janine Maher from the Money and Pensions Service, which is an arms-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and works closely with the Treasury to provide free financial advice to people, informed elected members about the free support and guidance they provide.

Other key local government issues like waste management were discussed, and the Northern Ireland Strategic Migration Partnership gave an update on human trafficking and exploitation in Northern Ireland.

Cllr Matt Garrett (Belfast City Council), NILGA President, said:

“This was a timely and incredibly useful briefing from the Money and Pensions Service. At a time of significant financial and economic upheaval, people are understandably anxious about their own personal finances. Members learned about the supports, services and free advice which are available for their local constituents.

“We also discussed and explored the severe ongoing mental and emotional impact which the pandemic is having on people. As well as being both a public health and economic crisis, this is fast becoming a mental health crisis also. Anxieties and worries concerning paying mortgages and rent, unemployment, rising debt, and other financial concerns are on the rise and the mental health of those affected often deteriorates as well.

“Engagements like these are worthwhile exercises which allow elected members to better assist their constituents. As public representatives, constituents come to us with a broad range of issues and there is an onus upon us to be aware of the support and guidance available to them. Briefings like today are opportunities to learn and hear directly from the experts which allow us to signpost worried or affected constituents in the right direction.”

Government announces proposals to make online political campaigning more transparent

The Cabinet Office has launched a consultation on new proposals to make online political campaigning more transparent. The new measures will require political parties, campaigners and others to clearly show who they are with a digital imprint, when promoting campaign content online.

The Government says that the move will mean that voters will get the same transparency from online material as they do from leaflets posted through their letterbox. Digital imprints will also allow the regulator to better monitor who is promoting election material and enforce the spending rules.

The regime is also intended to apply all year round, as while election periods see increased promotional activity, campaigning can happen at any time.

The proposals suggest that digital content meeting both of the following two tests should require an imprint:

·        Where the material is intended to achieve the electoral success of registered political parties and candidates, or the material relates to a referendum;

·        Where digital content is promoted by either:

-        Registered political parties, registered third party campaigners, candidates, holders of elected office and registered referendum campaigners - both paid and organic digital content;

-        Other campaigners - paid digital content only.

Imprint rules will also not apply to unregistered campaigners that are not paying to promote content, so that members of the public remain able to exercise their right to free speech.

The consultation closes at 11:45pm on 4 November 2020. Click here to respond.

Chamber encourages shoppers to embrace new rules on face coverings

Paul Clancy, Chief Executive of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce

The decision to make face coverings mandatory is to be welcomed as another step in re-opening business, said the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce.

Chief Executive Paul Clancy has said the Executive’s decision to make the wearing of face masks mandatory in shops, is positive news because it protects both shoppers and staff.

The decision also gives more certainty to businesses about the steps that need to be taken to keep people, including staff, safe.

In a survey carried out with the Chamber’s own members on 4-6 August, 83% of 171 respondents supported the mandatory wearing of face masks in shops by the public.

Londonderry Chamber Chief Executive Paul Clancy said:

“We are glad to see some certainty on this issue. A vast majority of our own members in the North West are supportive of the mandatory wearing of face masks in shops because they recognise that it protects the health and safety of their own staff, as well as customers.

“The reality is that we will all have to make some changes to how we live, work, shop and socialise and if the wearing of face coverings is mandatory, it will help promote more of a cultural change in the acceptability of wearing face coverings.

“Shops in the city have put in place new measures and changes which will protect their customers and staff. Many retailers have invested a great deal of time and money to make people feel safe and secure and it is important that customers support the new guidelines.

“This has been an enormous time of change, but we must all play our part to protect public health, keep the spread of coronavirus to a minimum and avoid a second wave which will be catastrophic for many businesses.

“I hope that people will embrace this change and support local businesses as they try to navigate this new landscape. I would also urge members of the public to be mindful of shop staff and treat them with patience and respect.

“The number one priority of retailers is the welfare and safety of their customers and staff and have taken these measures to protect everyone. By shopping local and staying local, we can support small businesses who have been impacted by the lockdown.”

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 10 August 2020

Forward Look

• Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA has apologised to families of patients at Muckamore Abbey Hospital and has stated he is to open an inquiry into the institutional abuse that occurred at the mental health hospital. This follows the Department of Health’s review into the leadership and governance of Muckamore Abbey Hospital which found there were missed opportunities to stop the abuse of vulnerable patients.

• UK Cabinet Minister, Michael Gove MP, will meet with First Minister Arlene Foster MLA and business leaders today in Belfast to promote the Northern Ireland Protocol.

• Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon MLA, opened the recruitment process for nine non-executive members of Belfast Harbour Commission. Appointments will be effective from 1 April 2021.

• Communities Minister, Carál Ni Chuilín MLA, announced plans to reconvene the Partnership Panel, the body set up to strengthen relationships between the Executive and local government.

• The Communities Committee have issued a Call for Evidence regarding the Pension Schemes Bill. The Bill is to ensure greater protection for those saving into a Master Trust scheme. Closing date for submissions is Wednesday 9 September.

• The All-Party Group on Early Education and Childcare will meet on Thursday 13 August.

• Following the North South Ministerial Council meeting last Friday, a feasibility study is to be carried out into a new high-speed rail line between Belfast-Dublin-Cork.

• Belfast City Council and the Departments of Infrastructure and Communities have given their backing to the ‘Bolder Vision’ document, a joint study which outlines a blueprint for the transformation of Belfast by 2035. The next stage of the process will be to publish an action plan which will be issued for public consultation later this year.

• Gerry Carroll MLA has initiated a consultation for his proposed Non-Executive Trade Union Freedom Bill. The Bill will seek to change the rules around the notice periods and ballots which Trade Unions give before taking lawful industrial action.

• The Ulster Business Top 100 Edition will be published on Monday 10 August.

• Belfast City Council will sit remotely on Monday 10 August.

• Allstate NI, EY and Herbert Smith Freehills have partnered to host ‘Your Child, Their Future’, a virtual parents information evening to highlight possible career paths for the next generation and ways parents can help steer their children to alternative careers on Tuesday 11 August. To register click HERE.

Other Stories this week

• Communities Minister, Carál Ni Chuilín MLA announced an additional £3.2m in funding for local Councils to aid them in supporting the community and voluntary sector.

• Sir Philip Barton has been named as the Permanent Under-Secretary for the newly merged Department of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

• Douglas Ross MP has been elected as the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party. He succeeds Jackson Carlaw.

• Media regulator, OFCOM published its ‘Media Nations 2020’ report this week. See attached for a breakdown of how Northern Ireland consumes media.

• Experian Market IQ published its ‘United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland M&A Review’. The report showed Deal Makers in Northern Ireland largely paused in the first half of 2020 due to Covid-19, with 58 transactions recorded, a 65% decline compared to 165 recorded in the same period in 2019. The total value of deals involving a NI business was £52m, compared to 2019’s H1 at £294m. This represents the lowest half year value in more than a decade.

Consultations

• Bereavement Leave and Pay Department for the Economy. Deadline 10 August.

• Proposals to further amend the law relating to the retention of DNA and fingerprints in Northern Ireland Department of Justice. Deadline 28 August.

• Amending Human Trafficking legislation Department of Justice. Deadline 1 September.

• Call for Evidence – Pension Schemes Bill Committee for Communities. Deadline 9 September.

• Further Education Support and Charging Policy at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) DAERA. Deadline 11 September.

• Development of an Adult Restorative Justice Strategy for Northern Ireland Department of Justice. Deadline 11 September. 

• Draft Organised Crime Strategy 2020-2023 Department of Justice. Deadline 2 October.

• Second Independent Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment Process in NI Department for Communities. Deadline 16 October.

Local Government Associations issue joint statement on civility in public life at UK forum meeting

Today (August 7, 2020) the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) hosted a virtual meeting of the UK Forum 

The Forum regularly brings together the leaders of the four local government associations to discuss key issues and opportunities for the local government sector, how they collectively address these across the regions and how they share knowledge, expertise and a partnership approach across the four Local Government associations.

Today’s meeting focused on local government’s community response to the Covid - 19 crisis and the ongoing financial and resource impact on all councils now and in the future.

The associations discussed the importance of joined up engagement and communication from central and Local Government on EU transition and of the need to ensure that the voice of Local Government on behalf of local communities is heard in discussions and that it is not diminished going forward.

The Civility in Public Life campaign, a joint programme of work to address the growing levels of intimidation directed at councillors and those in public life and the negative impact this is having on democracy for everyone, was also discussed.

At the meeting, the Local Government Associations agreed a Joint Statement on Civility in Public Life which was agreed by the Presidents, Leader or Chair of each of the four Local Government Associations.

UK Local Government Associations: Joint Statement on Civility in Public Life:

The intimidation and abuse of Councillors, in person or otherwise, undermines democracy; it can prevent elected members from representing the communities they serve, prevent individuals from standing for election and undermine public trust in democratic processes.

Cllr Matt Garrett, President, Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA)

These harmful behaviours, whether occurring towards, between or by elected members are entirely unacceptable.

Across our four nations COSLA, LGA, NILGA and WLGA commit to promoting Civility in Public Life, positive debate and resultantly supporting the wellbeing of our elected members.

Cllr Matt Garrett, President, Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA)

Cllr James Jamieson, Chair of the Local Government Association

Cllr Alison Evison, President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)

Cllr Andrew Morgan, Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) Leader.